Dress-form.



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C. A. UPFORD.

DRESS FORM.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 7, 1907.

Patented Feb. 23, 1909.

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DRESS FORM. APPLIUATIQN FILED MAR. 7, 1907.

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APPLI'OATION FILED MAR. 7, 1907.

913,829. Patent-,ea Feb. 23, 1909.

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DRESS FORM. APPLIUATION FILED MAR. 7, 1907.

Patented Feb. 23, 1909.

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UNITED STATES CHARLES A4 UFFORD, OF BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS.

DRESS-FORM.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Feb. 23, 1909.

Application filed March 7, 1907. Serial No. 361,102.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, CHARLES A. Urronn, a citizen of the United States, residing in Boston, county of Suffolk, and State of Massachusetts, have invented an Improvement in Dress-Forms, of which the following description, in connection with the accompanying drawings, is a specification, like numerals on the drawings representing like parts.

This invention relates to dress forms of that type which are made in sections capable of adjustment relative to each other, and one of the objects of the invention is to provide a form of this type which can be adjusted to different sizes with facility, and which will be perfectly rigid and solid in all adjusted positions.

Another object is to improve generally dress forms of this class all as will be more fully hereinafter described and then pointed out in the claims.

In the drawings in which one embodiment of the invention is shown, Figure 1 is a front view of a dress form embodying the invention; Fig. 2 is a side view thereof; Fig. 3 is a back view of the upper portion of the form; Fig. A is a perspective view of the bottom of the waist section; Fig. 5 is a detail of the means for supporting and adjusting the skirt section; Fig. 6 is a vertical section through the top part of the form on the line a-a, iig. 1; Fig. 7 is a section on the line b-b, Fig. 1; Fig. 8 is a section on the line o o, Fig. 1; and Fig. 9 is a sectional view through the bottom of the waist showing the manner in which the skirt portion is made detachable from the waist portion. Fig. 10 is a front view of the part shown in Fig. 9.

The form is divided vertically from side to side and from front to rear and horizontally across the bust in a well known way to constitute the front waist sections 1 and 2, the rear waist sections 3 and 4, the front shoulder sections 5 and 6, and the rear shoulder sections 7 and 8.

The sections of the form may be made of any well-known material, such a papiermch, and the waist and shoulder sections have at their edges the metal strips 9 and 10, the metal strips 10 of the shoulder sections overlapping those on the waist sections, and the overlapping portions being slotted to permit of adjustment. These slotted members 9 and 10 permit the sections of the form to be adjusted relative to each other and they are clamped together to hold the sections in their adjusted position in wellknown manner.

The neck comprises the two sections 11 and 12, and the front neck section 11 is preferably widened somewhat at its lower portion, as best seen in Fig. 1. The two necksections can be adjusted toward and from each other and are clamped in adjusted position by the clamping nut 13. The shoulder sections are capable of adjustment toward and from the neck sections, and the means for holding the shoulder sections are such as to maintain them in the proper relative position to each other and to the other sections in all adjusted positions. In this embodiment of the invention the front neck section has rigidly secured thereto the plate 14 provided at each end with the two parallel slots 15 and 16. Each shoulder section has secured thereto a clamping bolt 17 which extends through the slot 15 and a suitable guide piece 18, see Figs. 1 and 6, which eX- tends through the slot 16. The clamping bolts 17 have thereon wing nuts 19 by means of which the shoulder sections are rigidly held in their adjusted position. These wing nuts are easily accessible through the armscye. Two parallel slots in the plate 111 serve to hold the shoulder sections firmly in their proper relative position while they are adjusted back and forth, and with this construction said shoulder sections do not become distorted when they are spread outwardly to Widen the shoulders of the form. Substantially the same connection is employed between the back shoulder sections 7 and 8 and the back neck section 12, as seen in Fig. 3.

Situated between the front waist sections 1 and 2 is a sheet metal strip 20 which overlies at its upper end another strip 21 secured to the plate 111, these strips 20 and 21 being slotted and adjustably secured together by any suitable means, such as a clamping bolt 22. The strip 20 has secured to it a cross-piece 23 slotted at' its ends, land extending through the slots in the crosspiece are pins or projections 24 extending from the waist sections 1 and 2, see Fig. 1. This cross-piece 23 serves to hold the waist sections in proper position relative to each other but permits them to be adjusted toward and from each other. The strip 20 is important in that it serves to fill the gap between the waist sections l and 2 and makes a support for the garment being fitted when the dress form is expanded.

The neck sections have depending therefrom a tubular member 25 which has rigid therewith a stem 26 on which the clamping nut 13 is screw threaded. rlhis tubular member 25 telescopes over the upper end of the central rod 27 which rises from and forms part of the stand on which the form is supported. The upper end of the rod 27 should be suiiiciently loose in the tubular member 25 to permit the neck sections of the form to tip forward or backward.

For lengthening the waist of the form the shoulder section 5, 6, 7 and 8 are adjusted upwardly relative to the waist sections, and in doing this the set screw 2S is loosened to permit the tubular member 25 to slide up on the central rod 27 with the neck and shoulder sections when the latter are elevated, and when the parts are adjusted, the tubular member 25 and rod 27 may be clamped together by the set screw 28. In this way there is a firm central support for the figure in all adjusted positions, and the lengthening of the waist of the form is accomplished by elevating the shoulders rather than by depressing the waist sections.

The waist sections are secured together at their bottom in such a way thatI the two front sections 1 and 2 may be adjusted toward and from each other to widen the hips laterally without adjusting the front sections toward the rear sections, and similarly the front and rear sections may be adjusted toward and from each other to enlarge the hips from front to rear without increasing the size of the hips laterally or transversely. To accomplish this each waist section has at its lower end a bottom piece 32 and these bottom pieces are connected, as best shown in F ig. 4.

Mounted on the central rod 27 are the slotted members 33 and 34. These extend diagonally across the bottom of the waist portion, and the slotted members 33 overlie the bottom of the front waist section 1 and the rear waist section 3, while the slotted members 34 overlie the bottom of the front waist section 2 and the rear waist section 4. Clamping bolt-s 35 which are rigidly secured to the bottom pieces 32 extend through the slots in the members 33 and 34. rIhe members 33 and 34 are mounted to turn on the rod 27, and by loosening the nuts on the clamping bolts 35 the bottom pieces of the sections may be adjusted in any way desirable, that is, the bottom pieces of the sections 1 and 2 may be adjusted toward each other without adjusting the bottom pieces of the sections l and 4, toward each other, and vice versa, or all the sections may be moved simultaneously, and when adjusted may be clamped in their proper position. Since the members 33 and 34 can freely turn on the rod 27 the adjustment above described is permitted by the scissors-like movement of said members. If desired other slotted members 36 may be employed to stiifen the structure. Preferably the members 33 and 34 will be used in pairs, as shown, and the members 36 will be conned between the members of each pair so that each pair of members 33 or 34 operates to clamp the members 36 in place.

rEhe central rod 27 sets into a tubular holder 49 which is supported on a suitable stand not shown.

The skirt portion of the form is made of wire, and is herein shown as made in four sections, each of which is hinged at its upper end to the annular wire 37. In the preferred embodiment of my invention the skirt portion is made detachable from the waist portion, and I have accomplished this herein by making the upper ends of the edge pieces 50 at each side of the section of the skirt portion with slots 51 having an enlarged end 52, which slots are adapted to be set over studs or screws 53 extending from the bottom pieces 32, as seen in Figs. 9 and 10. The skirt portion may be removed by simply moving it upwardly suiiiciently to bring the heads of the screws or studs 53 in line with the enlarged ends 52 of the slots 51, and then withdrawing said edge pieces 50 from the studs or screws. By setting up the screws 53 after the skirt section is in place the latter is securely fastened and cannot be removed without loosening the screws. The edge pieces 50 form in effect continuations of the edge pieces or strips 9 of the waist portion, and in the present embodiment of my invention the edge pieces 50 form at their upper ends loops 54 through which a tape line 30 at the lower end of the waist section maybe passed. Another tape line 29 is shown at the waist of the form, and this is held in place by loops or eyes 31 formed on the strip 20, and said strip may also have a loop 320 through which the tape 30 passes, as seen in Fig. 2. The sections of the skirt can be adjusted outwardly independently and are held in their adjusted position by holding devices which connect the lower ends of the sections of the skirt portion with a center 38. The holding devices comprise the slotted members 39 which are pivoted to the center 38 by arms 40, and each slotted member 39 overlaps the sheet metal strip 50 at the edge of the skirt sections and is clamped on the strip by clamping bolts 42, as seen in Fig. 8. These holding devices serve to rmly hold the sections of the skirt portion in adjusted position, and by loosening the clamping bolts 42, said sections of the skirt form can be adjusted radially in either direction, as will be obvious.

The waist sections at each side of the form, and also the shoulder sections at each side, are shown as connected by the slotted pieces 43 which are clamped to the slotted strips 9 and 10 at the edge of the form sections by means of suitable clamping bolts. These clamping bolts 43 serve to make the structure more rigid.

It is important that the various clamping bolts, such as 17, should be rigidly secured to the papiermch sections of the form, and to obtain this rigid construction without crushing or breaking the papier mch said bolts are each clamped to the papier mch by clamping nuts 45, as shown in F ig. 7 and other nuts, as 19, are used for clamping the slotted connecting pieces to the form sections. For adjusting the forni sections it is only necessary to loosen the outer wing nuts 19 since the slotted plates, as 14, rest outside of the clamping nuts 45.

The advantage of the present construction is* that the form may be readily adjusted by simply loosening a few clamping nuts, and all clamping nuts are readily accessible either through the arm scye or at the bottom oi" the waist section. Further, the neck is not enlarged by the adjusting of the shoulder sections, and the strip 2O and cross-piece 23 form a support Jfor the garment being fitted at the front of the waist and at the front of the bust. The strip 20 also forms a means for supporting and holding the tape measurers 29 and 30.

I have not attempted herein to show all forms of my invention but merely have shown the preferred form thereof.

I-Iaving fully described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is 1. In a dress form, a Waist portion divided centrally in a vertical plane trom front to rear, combined with a vertically extending filling strip situated between the sections at the front, and a cross piece secured to said strip' and slidably engaging the front waist sections at the bust.

2. In a dress form, a waist portion divided centrally in a vertical plane from front to rear and also divided to constitute front and rear neck sections and front and rear shoulder sections on each side, combined with a comparatively narrow vertically extending strip longitudinally extensible secured to the front neck section and situated between the sections at the front of the form to form a support for the garment in the space between said sections when the latter are expanded.

3. In a dress form, a Waist portion divided to form front and rear shoulder sections on each side and front and rear neck sections, combined with a slotted plate rigidly secured to each neck section, means to adjustably secure said shoulder sections to said slotted plate'and a lling strip 20 secured to the front neck section and situated between the sections at the front ofthe form.

4. In a dress form, a waist portion divided to form front and rear shoulder sections on each side and front and rear neck sections, a plate 14 rigidly secured to each neck section and overlapping the adjacent shoulder sections, each plate having two slots in each end, projections extending from the shoulder sections and engaging said slots, and clamping nuts having screw-threaded engagement with certain of said projections ffr clamping the shoulder sections to the ate.

p 5. In a dress form, a waist portion divided vertically, a bottom piece 32 secured to each section at the hips, slotted members 33, 34 pivoted together, and means to adjustably clamp said slotted members to the bottom pieces 32.

(l. In a dress form, a waist portion divided vertically, a bottom piece 32 secured to each section at the hips, a central supporting rod, independent slotted members 33, 34 loosely mounted on said rod for turning movement thereon independent from each other, and moans to adjustably clamp said slotted members to the bottom pieces 32.

7. In a dress form, a waist portion having headed studs extending therefrom at the hips, combined with a sectional skirt portion each section of which has members 50 at its edges, each member being provided with a slot and with an enlarged end to engage one of said studs, a standard, a centering ring mounted thereon, and slotted clamping pieces 39 pivoted to the centering ring and adjustably secured to the skirt sections.

8. In a dress form the combination with a sectional skirt section, of a standard, a centering ring mounted thereon, slotted clamping pieces 39 pivoted to the centering ring and each adapted to overlie the adjacent edges of two adjacent skirt sections, and means to adjustably secure each piece 39 to ,the atwo skirt sections Which it overlies.

9. In a dress form, the combination with a waist portion, of a sectional skirt portion having members 50 each detachably secured to the outside of the waist portion and each provided at its upper end with the loop 54, and a tape 30 passing through said loops.

10. In a dress form, a sectional waist portion divided horizontally across the bust, In testimony whereof, I have signed my Combined With a tubular member rlgldlyl sename to this speclcation, 1n the presence of cured to and depending from the neck se0- two subscribing Witnesses.

tions, a standard for supporting the form, CHARLES A. UFFORD. the upper end of which is loosely received Vitnesses:

Wit-hin the tubular member, and means to LOUIS C. SMITH,

clamp said upper end to the tubular member. MARGARET A. DUNN. 

